What 21 Actors Were Like In High School

Jennifer Lawrence was in a commercial for MTV before she became an Oscar-winning actress.Jason Merritt - Getty Images / YouTube screenshot
Before they were famous, Hollywood's elite were just normal, pizza-faced kids trying to make it through high school.

Well, that's not entirely true.

Tom Cruise studied at a Catholic seminary for a year before dropping out to pursue other interests (AKA "women"). Meanwhile, brainiac Natalie Portman juggled the title role in Broadway's "The Diary of Anne Frank" all while competing in the nation's most elite high school research competition.

Jennifer Aniston’s name topped many playbills during her four years at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, the school that inspired “Fame.”

Ben Affleck said he and buddy Matt Damon would engage in such extracurricular activities as “underage drinking, pot smoking, and all the attendant shenanigans,” and sometimes plot their paths to Hollywood.

Tom Cruise spent his freshman year studying at a Catholic seminary, where he was a loner who was always trying to prove something, according to classmates. He dropped out because he “loved women too much.”

Mila Kunis landed the part of Jackie in “That ‘70s Show” at age 14. In between stretches of on-set tutoring, Kunis attended an L.A. high school where "kids come up with magazines and ask me to sign them," she said.

Catholic schoolboy Will Smith earned the nickname “Prince” because of his ability to talk his way out of trouble. But, "I had pretty high SAT scores," Smith said.

Sandra Bullock hammed it up, writing sketches and performing skits in between sets of the high school talent show. She spoke fluent German, rallied crowds as a varsity cheerleader, and was a member of the thespian honor society.

Angelina Jolie attended a Beverly Hills high school “where the bad kids go,” she said. “I was the punk outsider who nobody messed with. I was fearless.”

Bryan Cranston was a member of the chemistry club and climbed the ranks of the LAPD’s Law Enforcement Explorers, a fitness and recruitment program for youth. A performing arts elective hooked him on acting.

The daughter of public school teachers, cheerleader Amy Poehler said her biggest regrets were “shoulder pads, parachute pants, acid-wash jean jackets, big hair.” She worked after-school at an old-timey ice cream parlor.

A rough home life led Johnny Depp to drop out at 16, experiment with drugs, and join a garage band, The Kids. He lived for months in his friend’s ‘67 Chevy Imapala.

Ashton Kutcher played football, starred in school plays, and sang in the choir — until he drunkenly broke into school at night and was convicted of burglary. He lost his college scholarships and girlfriend.

Natalie Portman made it to the semifinal round of the Intel Science Talent Search, the nation’s most elite high school research competition. She juggled advanced academics with the title role in Broadway’s “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

In one summer, Melissa McCarthy went from a tennis-playing student council member to goth. “I was super preppy,” she said, before sporting blue-black hair shaved in patches and wearing turtle necks as harem pants.

George Clooney supremely balanced the labels “class clown” and “jock.” At 16, he tried out for the Cincinnati Reds.

Paul Rudd was a movie buff, constantly quoting “Caddyshack,” “Animal House,” “Weird Science.” He once tried to impress a girl during a game of Trivial Pursuit at a party, and was obliterated by family friend, John Hamm.